... is fun

    Many of our volunteer jobs involve "work parties" which are put together to perform such mundane but important tasks as preparation of mail-outs and conference materials or assembling educational materials for future education sessions. The Volunteer Coordinator will call you in advance to see if you can help with a specific project. These work sessions usually turn out to be opportunities for lots of fun, laughter and sharing.

    Work parties often provide individuals who have lupus with a way to get involved that doesn't require a lot of commitment but allows them to make an important contribution to the Society. Of course, family members are welcome too!


... keeps you informed

    Regular involvement with our groups and committees keeps you on top of all the latest research and developments in the search for a cure for lupus. You may wish to become involved with the Education Committee if this is your major interest.

    Healthcare professionals with an interest in lupus would make ideal committee members as they can learn from those members who have lupus and offer practical help in determining how best to offer education to fellow professionals.


... gives you an opportunity to offer your understanding support to others

    We all need support from time to time, but newly diagnosed lupus patients can suffer more from lack of understanding than from lupus itself. The Society tries to meet this need by having an army of volunteers willing to provide the benefit of their own experience to others. Volunteers should be familiar with the literature and resources available. Training and guidelines will be provided to make sure you are a good source of current information.

... lets you use your current skills in an environment that can adjust to your needs

    The Society needs people with computer/word processing skills to prepare materials and correspondence. Due to some wonderful donations, we have reasonably current computer technology, so if you want to maintain your skills, this could be a perfect job for you. You can commit to coming into the office on a regular weekly basis or on a project basis if you prefer. Should you be unwell on a particular day and unable to meet your commitment, we understand. We ask only that you give us as much notice as possible. Your experience is an asset to our organization and every effort will be made to accommodate you.

... allows you to explore your talents

    One of our goals is to develop a "bank" of skills and talents that volunteers are willing to donate to our organization, if asked. Do you do calligraphy? Computer graphics? Make quilts or other items which could be used for fund raising raffles? Conduct exercise classes? Teach yoga? Speak another language? Are you an artist? A writer? An editor? A speaker? A creator of effective displays? We would like to have you listed in our skills bank of people willing to volunteer their individual talents. Please let us know who you are and what you can offer.

... raises funds for a cure

    As one of our volunteers puts it "I want to do fund raising because I'm mad and I want to raise a ton of money to get this thing cured". Do you want to get involved at this level? There are many ways to participate in fund raising. The Society can use all the help and ideas we can generate. If you have some creative suggestions, we would like to hear them.

... gets you "out and about"

    There is a need for people living outside of the major cities to deliver information and materials to others in their community. Could you assist in this regard? Are you strong enough to supply support in this situation, as well as materials and information? Unfortunately, it is more difficult to be dealing with lupus when you are not near a major support centre and are feeling isolated. Please contact your closest lupus Society office for further information or to offer your services.

The lupus Society is a completely volunteer-driven organization. We always need more "drivers".